Katy Perry Joins The Marines In "Part Of Me"

Katy Perry dumps her cheating boyfriend, cuts off her hair, binds her chest and signs up for the Marines in the new pop-military video for her latest single "Part Of Me," the lead (seventh overall) single from the expanded edition of her album, "Teenage Dream," debuted at the Billboard Hot 100's top spot in February, after the 27-year-old premiered the track at the 2012 Grammys.
This dance-pop and pop rock empowerment song finds Perry declaring herself unbreakable after a break-up. "I wrote it two years ago when I was writing and recording Teenage Dream,[but] it didn't feel right on the record," says Perry. The song puts the brakes on the frothy, confectionery, lighthearted lyrical fare the blue-haired diva is known for. Perry encases a rather venomous, yet self-empowering message in a synth heavy, looped beat pop song and she never passes up the chance to take a swipe. It's a different side of her on the lyrical and vocal level; the studio treated sonics are quite familiar.
"Part Of Me" is a dancefloor rave-up and brings to mind Jessie J's "Domino," chugging along to a similar treadmill-ready groove and riding a guitar hook. And we think this storyline works pretty well with the message of the song. The lyrics are meant to be empowering, and there is something inspiring about Perry striving to make a positive difference in the world after her heartbreak rather than crumple into a heap of tears. Plus, how often do you get to see a pop diva go through boot camp?
It's an unusually somber clip for the pop princess, but the intense tone makes some sense, given that the song is intended as a perfect breakup anthem. Perry was sore and exhausted after shotting "Part Of Me" video, "I know how to carry my weight a little bit more," she says of military training for the Ben Mor-directed clip, which starts with Perry sitting on a car, spying on her boyfriend and rushes in his office and starts arguing with him. Then she drives down to the gasoline station and buys in a convenient store where she saw a note on bulletin board saying, "All Women are Equal, Then Some Become Marines." I guess you knew what's next.